The new year is arriving, and you are ready to focus on making resolutions that are in line with your health goals.Â
Today, Americans are more concerned with their health than ever before. They are willing to take sustainable lifestyle changes that will help keep them healthy and happy over the long term.
According to the October 2022 survey by Medifast, respondents reported increased focus on health and well-being before they head into 2023. In fact, 69% of respondents said they would invest time and money in their health over other aspects of life.
This is great news because it shows Americans are aware of their health issues and they want to take care of themselves. But the bad news is people have literally no idea about where to begin. Thus, this article will walk you through some useful tips on your journey toward better health this year. Â
Prioritize Mental Health
If you’re like most people, mental health has probably fallen by the wayside in recent years. It’s easy to let it slip due to the busy lifestyle, and mental health can feel like one more thing to add to an already full plate.
But let us tell you something: prioritizing your mental health by making small lifestyle changes can actually boost your overall health. According to NielsenIQ’s Consumer Outlook for 2022, 65% of surveyed individuals indicated that mental wellness would be an important area of focus in the next 12 months. The number one reason? Improved mental health makes you feel happy, which eventually increases overall well-being and productivity.Â
Not only will prioritizing your mental health make you happier, but it’ll actually make you even healthier than ever before. That’s right: when you focus on your mental health, it’ll become easier for you to take better care of yourself physically as well.
For better mental health, you may choose to participate in yoga or meditation classes or explore other ways to incorporate mindfulness into your lives. This will help you improve your mental health, eventually making it easier for you to achieve your lifestyle goals in the coming year.
Consume Only Healthy Food and Clean Water
It may seem counterintuitive to focus on clean eating and mindful eating in a world where there are so many unhealthy, processed foods. But if you’re keen on making your health better in 2023, it’s important that you start now. According to the 2022 Food & Health Survey of Americans, 16% preferred clean eating, while 14% tried mindful eating. Those numbers are pretty good.Â
Clean eating is the practice of consuming unprocessed foods with minimal additives and chemicals. Mindful eating is the practice of being emotionally active to enjoy each bite and taste what you’re eating. Both of these practices are incredibly helpful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and they’re easy to adopt.
Clean water has a number of benefits that can help you live healthier, more productive lives and save money on medical bills. On the other hand, untested and contaminated water can lead to serious health conditions, like kidney disease and even cancer. Americans have struggled with unsafe water containing contaminants.Â
Water contaminants like industrial solvents, benzene, Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and others are proven to cause severe health conditions. According to the White House, PFAS are extremely harmful chemicals that can lead to cancer and other serious health issues.
There have been many incidents across the US where citizens consumed contaminated water and experienced serious health consequences as a result. Camp Lejeune Water Contamination is one such example.Â
The residents of the camp consumed contaminated water for years and suffered severe health conditions, including cancer and Parkinson’s disease. However, they later received the payout for Camp Lejeune lawsuit from the government. The payout helped the affected ones to mitigate the intensity of suffering, at least to some extent.
To prevent yourself from facing similar situations, it is important that you consume clean water by filtering and purifying your tap water at home. This is because most people do not realize that their tap water may contain parasites and bacteria that can cause severe illness.
Get Enough Physical Activity
These days, the hustle culture that prevails in developed countries like the US could mislead people that they often forget to take care of themselves. This may lead to health outcomes that most of us will not like. But exercise is one of the best ways to improve your health, and it doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming.
Regular physical activity, according to the WHO, has been shown to help prevent and manage noncommunicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and various types of cancers.
Along with it, physical activity also helps reduce stress and anxiety and improves sleep quality and memory function. Additionally, continued physical activity helps enhance mood and self-esteem while boosting energy levels throughout the day.Â
Some easy activities can help you stay on top of your health. For example, you can simply stroll in your garden or go for a run along the road. Joining an intramural sports team at work or in your community would work in four favor if you’re a sports enthusiast. In addition, you can also play with your kids in their backyard or even just dance around your living room while watching TV.
But if you’re not sure where to start or how much exercise you need each week, talk with a doctor about starting an exercise program that fits your lifestyle.
Focus on Getting Adequate Sleep
When you are deprived of adequate sleep, the health consequences can be dire. In fact, a study published on the website of the National Library of Medicine found that poor sleep quality is associated with a significant decrease in health outcomes.
In a common scenario, “poor sleep quality” refers to sleeping fewer than 7 hours per night, having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep every night, waking up early in the morning, or feeling fatigued during the day.
On the other hand, if you want your health to reach its peak, you need to give it the thing it needs most: sleep. Sleep is especially helpful for your body to repair and recover itself from daily stress and activities. Moreover, it helps your muscles to get stronger and your skin to look more youthful.
In addition, sleep also helps with memory consolidation. This means that when you wake up, your brain will be able to recall all of the important information from the day before without having to spend time re-learning things again.
In Conclusion
The tips we’ve shared with you today are simple and easy, but they can make a big difference in your life. If you want to stay healthy, all it takes is to follow these tips with some dedication. Keep these four lifestyle tips to keep health front and center in 2023, and you’ll be on the path to a healthier lifestyle.
